E·U R 1804 OF CONTENTS Page Number SAX-100 Project Administration 4 SAX-210 Nuclear Design 5...

28
E·U R 1804.e PART. VI CY'BRA:RY t'OPV EUROPEAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMUNITY - EURATOM SAXTON PLUTONIUM PROGRAM Quarterly Progress Report for the period ending December 31, 1965 N.R. NELSON (Westinghouse Atomic Power Division) 1966 EURATOM/US Ai1reement for Cooperation EURAEC Report No. ;1534 prepared by the Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pitt~bur,lh, Pa. - USA AEC Contract No. AT (30-1)-3385 \

Transcript of E·U R 1804 OF CONTENTS Page Number SAX-100 Project Administration 4 SAX-210 Nuclear Design 5...

E·U R 1804.e PART. VI CY'BRA:RY t'OPV

EUROPEAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMUNITY - EURATOM

SAXTON PLUTONIUM PROGRAM

Quarterly Progress Report

for the period ending December 31, 1965

N.R. NELSON

(Westinghouse Atomic Power Division)

1966

EURA TOM/US Ai1reement for Cooperation EURAEC Report No. ;1534 prepared by the

Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pitt~bur,lh, Pa. - USA

AEC Contract No. AT (30-1)-3385 \

LEGAL NOTICE

Thls document was prepared under the. sponsorship of the Commission of the:E:utopean Atomic fa1ergy Community (EURATOM). in pursuance of t4e joint, program laid. down by the Agreement for, Cooperatip:n signed on 8 N<'.lv~lhber 1958 between the Government. of the Unit~d : State~ of Amerjca and the European Atomic Energy Community. ·

It is specified that neither tp.e EURATOM Commission; nor ·J~t Government of the United. Stat~; t),J.eir contractors · dr . any , person acting on their 1:>eliaH : . ,

M~e any waqanty or reptesentatio~; ~xpress br '.implied, with respect 'to the accura~y; tompleteness:· or uiefulri~ of the info;rmatidn contained

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. A~sume any liability: with r~ped to the use of, .or for damages tesuliting from the use of any infotmati~ apparatus, method or process disclosed ' in this document. . ·

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When ord.ering, pleas, quote the EUR number and the title, which .are indil;ated on the cover of. each report.

Printed by Guyot, s.a ...

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•·· T~s docuxnent was r,eproduced dri th~ basis,pf the best available .. ~opy., ·

·ft

j "i·

t ·~ ·.' t:,

EUR 2804.e PART. VI

EUROPEAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMUNITY - EURATOM

SAXTON PLUTONIUM PROGRAM

Quarterly Progress Report

for the period ending December 31, 1965

by

N.R. NELSON

(Westinghouse Atomic Power Division)

1966

EURA TOM/US Agreement for Cooperation EURAEC Report No. 1534 prepared by the

Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa. - USA

AEC Contract No. AT (30-1)-3385

SUMMARY

During the quarter, the plutonium fuel was installed in the Saxton Reactor. The scheduled test program was begun on December 6, 1965.

Near the end of December, power operation at 17 MWt was reached. It is expected that the licensed power level based on not exceeding 16 kw/ft

peak will be reached early in January. Current indications are that this will be about 22 MWt. After operation and burning-off peaks, pushed power to 28 MWt appears feasible.

During the next eighteen months, the Saxton partial plutonium core will be operated routinely as the source of power for the overall development program being carried out by the Saxton Nuclear Experimental Corporation (SNEC) in technical cooperation with Westinghouse. Core follow and analysis of operating conditions will be carried out during this routine operating period and during at least two shutdowns and startups.

Topical reports were completed, describing the fuel design and fabrication and the critical experiments.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page Number

SAX-100 Project Administration--------------------------------- 4

SAX-210 Nuclear Design----------------------------------------- 5

SAX-220 Fuel Design - Mechanical, Thermal & Hydraulic---------- 5

SAX-230 Fuel Design - Materials-------------------------------- 5

SAX-250 Planning & Analysis of Critical Experiments-------------- 5

SAX-310 Fuel Fabrication - Materials--------------------------- 5

SAX-320 Fuel Inspection & Assembly----------------------------- 5

SAX-330 New Fuel Shipping-------------------------------------- 5

SAX-340 Safeguards Analysis------------------------------------ 5

SAX-350 Alpha Protection--------------------------------------- 5

SAX-400 Performance of Critical Experiments-------------------- 5

SAX-510 Nuclear Analyses of Operation Performance-------------- 5

REFERENCES------------------------------------------------------ 22

Remaining Subtasks---------------------------------------------- 23

Table No.

510.1

510.2

510.3

Figure No.

510.1

510.2

LIST OF TABLES

Summary of Saxton Core II Zero Power Reactivity Calculations------------------------------------------

Calculated Boron and Control Rod Worth for Saxton Core II----------------------------------------------

Kinetic Characteristics for Saxton Core II for Four Different Core Conditions-----------------------

LIST OF FIGURES

Saxton Core II Configuration-------------------------­

; versus Number of Fuel Assemblies Exchanged---------­M

7

9

15

16

21

SAX-100 Project Administration

N. R. Nelson

All project work up to the stage of operating Saxton Core II up to a

power level of 17 MWt has been completed including all scheduled topical

reports. It is expected that the licensed power level based on not

exceeding 16 kw/ft peak will be reached early in January. Current indica­

tions are that a power level of about 22 MWt can be maintained without

exceeding the 16 kw/ft license limitation. After considerable operation

and burning-off peaks, pushed power to 28 MWt appears feasible.

During the next eighteen months, the Saxton partial plutonium core will

be operated routinely as the source of power for the overall development

program being carried out by the Saxton Nuclear Experimental Corporation

(SNEC) in technical cooperation with Westinghouse. Core follow and

analysis of operating conditions will be carried out during this routine

operating period and during at least two shutdowns and startups.

A relatively small amount of technical information will be generated

during the next eighteen months. Consequently, the Commission, in order

to reduce the expense required to issue bound quarterly reports for

TID-4500 distribution, has approved a Westinghouse recommendation to

issue these reports semi-annually through at least fiscal 1 67. Quarterly

summary letters, however, will be used to meet Euratom report require­

ments; and monthly letters, for AEC administrative requirements. This

information is included to alert the TID-4500 recipients that the next

bound report will be issued in July 1966.

Nunuscrirt received on March?, 1966. 4

SAX-210 Nuclear Fuel Design, SAX-220 Fuel Design - Mechanical, Thermal & Hydraulic, SAX-230 Fuel Design - Materials, SAX-250 Planning and Analyses of Critical Experiments, SAX-310 Fuel Fabrication - Materials, SAX-320 Fuel Inspection ann Assembly, SAX-330 New Fuel Shipping, SAX-340 Safeguards Analysis, SAX-350 Alpha Protection, SAX-400 Performance of Critical Experiments

The work required to date in all of the subtasks listed above has been completed.

Minor investigatory work occasioned by fuel performance inpile may be necessary

under Safeguards Analysis and under Alpha Protection if any unforeseen operating

conditions should arise or if it should become desirable to alter currently

planned operating conditions to make more meaningful the experimental and

analytical results of the plutonium program. All four topical reports contem­

plated have been completed. Future reports will not include sections on these

subtasks but will start with subtask SAX-510 Nuclear Analyses of Operating

Performance. This subtask and SAX-520 Thermal Hydraulic Analyses are expected

to be the only two technical areas of activity in the program for about the

next eighteen months.

SAX-510 Nuclear Analyses of Operating Performance

F. L. Langford, W. L. Orr, A. J. Impink, R.H. Chastain, H. I. Sternberg, G. F. Eletti,* P. Deramaix,** L. Bindler***

A. Introduction and Summary

1. Introduction

A basic objective of this task is to compare the expected

performance of the plutonium fuel in the Saxton reactor

with experimental results and to evaluate the differences

*On assignment from CNEN, Rome, Italy. **On assignment from Belgo-Nucleaire, Brussells, Belgium and CEN, Mol, Belgium*** working on the Saxton Plutonium Program in the scope of the EURATOM/AEC/Westinghouse contract.

5

between analysis and experiment that are found. A second

objective is to provide supporting analysis during the

irradiation period. The supporting analysis will include

the evaluation of reactivity and power distribution changes

with time corresponding to the operating history of the core.

2. Summary

D~ring the quarter, the plutonium fuel was installed in the

Saxton reactor according to the fuel loading pattern shown

in Figure 510.1. The scheduled test program was begun on

December 6, 1965. Near the end of December, power operation

at 17 MWt was reached. The following analytical and experi­

mental work was accomplished during the quarter.

a. The analysis required in preparation for the zero-power

tests was completed. Anticipated boron concentration

requirements and control rod worths were determined.

b. The analysis required in preparation for following the

operating history of Saxton Core II was completed. An

analysis sequence consisting of the LEOP~/BUBBLE/2/

PDQ-3*/3 computer codes was adopted. With this sequence

it will be possible to duplicate analytically the experi­

mental history of the reactor as determined through the

in-core instrumentation system.

6

~

A B C D E F

I I I I I I

'

r ---- / · · · · · 0 0 -"'"' 0 ::)00.Cj K:)1<· 0 1(.11 ::: ' • •JL• •m• • • H

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I b 00 010J1(Z), o 'l> z ar;;;a •,••'•• ,ia • • ••• ~ ,ea•• .. ii e ~ -~ _, "'1V'.e>i<2> z 0 z; (j1) ~ -· -••-~IArl'l.l~IA.J-.U......_la.ta. ~'(1'~ :K~ ... , •• ~~ -;·-·-- -.;,:.;,,.;,~· ..., .. ---~- -·-H··- ~·~~·,;:-·-·"<./ '<,

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I O Q) ,oo ...... 0~~(1<01()()'.1(} e ~ ;',. "" ,!_ 4 -- uv . • • -xo· <'ll<11c,T1ic1::;a • • ---x ~ ~ ~

I o •·• • • • c. c, () c,1a>iCI"' • • "' ~ Q O ,; • - • •ce ~ Cl -. 'I l)!/'1 ii~ A • • • • 1101( Q t,,

I O O O · • .• • e • 1 ') cJ '1 >11> liiil?i r.- i • e e • 1 01 ~, 0 ;-, u1:::,0000.1e1iexae1_._,1() iJl0000: - •••1u~·--1U11\!X·x-= t-- - - o .. ;v;-,1 v ::=: - ~ 0 :zi"20"7:o:t0a ;;;:;00~

I I . 111._J!::) 00,-,1 • v• v · ""' o 02 0~a,:,,,(ll(I e o , o I

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0 00,;-,lJ'~

I I o 01r'llr o , . 0 ZI~ .,,re, ~r.7, 'Z) o o o ao I I

"'ll(Y , 11 ~ll '.Al- "11.I_.. -,,-

L "X" .. ,) . . ~, _J ----~---- ---

/ ' I I I :~ I I I I I X

y I I I I I ~ / L ____ J ____ J _____ L ___ J ~

6

~ Pu02t U02ZIRC-PELLETS

~ Pu02/ UOz-STEEL

@ Pu02/UOfZIRC-VIPAK

IQ) uo2 STEEL-INCONEL G Rl DS

~ U02STEEL-SS GRIDS

~ U02STEEL-SS GRIDS ( BURNED)

@J U02STEEL-L SECTION & FOLLOWERS

x FLUX MAPPING THIMBLE

a ANTIMONY-BERYLLIUM SOURCE

Figure 510.1: Saxton Core II Fuel Configuration

c. The experimental measurements program was begun. The

required boron concentrations for the cold, zero-power

and the hot, zero-power conditions were~ 170 ppm less

than those predicted by the initial analysis. Power

operation to 17 MWt was achieved. Data from these tests

are being processed.

B. Experimental Program

1. Refueling Operations

During the loading of Saxton Core II, multiplication measure­

ments were made as the Core I fuel elements were replaced

with fresh fuel. The resulting l plots -show an interesting m

response as the two different fuel material types were

installed in the core. When the central nine uo2

fuel

assemblies were replaced with Puo2-uo2 fuel, a significant

variation in multiplication was observed. However, after all

of the plutonium fuel assemblies had been installed, the

substitution of fresh uo2 fuel assemblies in peripheral

locations produced only a slight change in multiplication.

Representative l plots for three detectors are shown in m

Figure 510.2. The location of the fuel element replaced at

each step is also shown in this figure.

8

-1.0

0.9

0.8

0.7

o.6 M(;:E:

0.5

\0 o.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

.,........t- ........+

~~-.·-----:= _;_:_

>t--++

~~htgfFlt;t ~-==t~ __;::-: ---..,..- ..:...;....... ri--r--t-

- . -:::Jr:L =:E:-=t. £1f l;0~:t=t.=:=t- ---_c-1 --:-- :::~ ::: •

·~:::!:;:l:+,--..+. •• , =.1.-++

-·1··"·· +-++,-,-'-+t++'.:':::1 -_~:2~:tt~~

: = ~~~ =±+~ :S . ' : =-=' < ~- :-::: ~~= 1--.:_+ r-h-T'" ... __ ,_,_,_$ii=i:i$:' ~-- ' - -·

' ' ~.....-- -· l -i--r-n ~- ... -

:.;.q.:;:::.;.+-1-;~ . ' . ' -~:-t: r::::;t:=: --+---·

.:;:,-':;:~::.::::t=-::_~--:t=i =i=t~

,•

•t·tr-t-~-·= ·----i-~-J. -= .. . .,.,.... ... _..:...

q::q:~~

t' ~+,+-+.... ~r-1-

-·-s· ,,,,. ,·_·- ' -..-~..--.-....--->-+

~A u u -~- 20 13

u A B 19 3 7

u A A 12 6 l

u A B 16 2 9

u u 15 11

u

A u 4 14

A u 8 10

A u 5 18

u y'~

Ji 17

~

u - uo2 Fuel

A - PuOrOO Pellete& Fuel

B - Pu02-U02 Vipe.c Fuel

NUMBERS - Sequence of Refueling

~f= ~2='-,. ~ T~- t+;. _ - + ,--~~:i:~ =+- ... __ ;~_:F~_1-:~~~tt~:~ :~~ --~w~~~~~=~ ~j~-~ f:i~-~,:~ +,-~, ·• , :.:p: r---· , · '·s+• rh+ •+-- ;:i:::g:.o+i, "'-.,-,- ~,... ' ---~ •'+--~1-r=· .:± + '..:1::s- -·· -·· -~ ·-- ·•·· ----- •·• --·- -- -- =--i·- --· ,- -1--...+: . ::- :.::r --... -· - -....- ----- ··--- - . .,.....__ ~....,........ ..:-+--++ - -" ........--- .:. . .;.....~~ ... - -+ _ _: ... ~F- =-+~..,...;.+~- --- - __ ,...:_-=-: -:_:= -_:_= - ::--...:--1==-~.::: ·:..:-:-::- ~-=: .-:: :--:.:...~ f :_ .-:

li[iii;~~~J~~i~~~~~~~~ltit~::~~~r~~~f~ i~s :JtlJ*~~[ ~;;g illt~ ,jt i~ ~±(~( :~ ~~~~ ;:~ ,~~;;: ;~; :-=~~ :i/ ;-~~ -~ ~t ~~: ~=~-:~ ~:~~:~: ?- -~~ _)J __ : ~ :::, ,.,:. -=-=-:· =:=-=1::::::-: == c:::;= =-=.::::.= c:.-= -=-- ::-.:r:-=-t+Hcc-c:c'lc,c--::-:~. ", ,- .,,c-.F--::-:c:c ~· ... , -=""' -.- ·cc .... , .. .. • -~,re= +---·~--- -·--·--· J-·-· -·- ---------- -~-;i_---t----- ·- • · ·--- 1.:· - -±- -· -· -·- ---- -----4-· --lL: ·· --- ·- --- -- ·_-------_ ---- ----1_---- .. -.. ---- - --~

~~ :\/==i~~1~ ::1~ ~~;~~ --~~ ;~{t i;(~ J~t} \U~~~ ~:~~ i: ~ -~~ fitI 1~jfr3k ;:;=:~ ~~;.~ ~:~ :~~1 = :~ ::)fii 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Number of Fue1 Assemblies Exchanged

Figure 510.2: ~ versus Number of Fuel Assemblies Exchanged

2. Zero Power Tests

Saxton Core II initial criticality was achieved on December 6,

1965 and the zero-power test program outlined in the previous

/4 quarterly~ was begun. The processing of data obtained during

these initial tests is in progress.

The boron concentration requirements for two core conditions

were:

Core Condition Boron, ppm

Cold (140°F), zero-power, rods out 2718

Hot (530°F, 2000 psi), zero-power, rods out 2294

A complete Sillillllary of the experimental information obtained

during this phase of the program will be included in the next

report.

3. Operations at Power

At the close of the quarter, Saxton Core II operation had

reached a power level of 17 MWt. The at-power portion of

the experimental test program is now in progress.

C. Supporting Analysis

During the quarter, the supporting analysis has been concerned

with the following three areas:

10

(1) Establishing the analytical procedure to be used in

following the nuclear performance of Saxton Core II.

(2) Determining the boron concentration requirements and control

rod worths expected during the experimental program.

(3) Calculating the kinetic characteristics of anticipated

experimental configurations to aid in the interpretation of

reactivity measurements.

1. Preparation for Operations Follow

To follow the operating history of Saxton Core II, a mechanized

procedure was adopted that uses the LEOPARD-5/BUBBLE/PDQ-3*

computer code sequence. LEOPARD-5 was selected because of the

favorable comparison of analysis with critical experiments

carried out at the Westinghouse Reactor Evaluation Center (WREC)

using the design fuel.~ The BUBBLE code will be used because it

provides a flexible method of analytically duplicating the

experimental history of the reactor.

The basic purpose of the BUBBLE code is to generate macroscopic

cross sections as a function of boron concentration and burnup

and punch them out in a form that can be used in PDQ-3*. The

code is essentially an interpolation and extrapolation procedure.

A burnup-boron concentration matrix is defined for the various

fuel regions in the core. Then a LEOPARD-5 lifetime calculation

11

is carried out in accordance with the defined matrix. Macro­

scopic cross sections at arbitrary local burnup and boron

concentrations are generated in BUBBLE for each composition

by interpolation or extrapolation in the basic matrix. This

procedure permits the frequent updating o.f the design core

PDQ's based upon an evaluation of the in-core instrumentation

data.

Xenon concentrations and microscopic resonance absorption

cross sections are adjusted to account for the effect of

differences in the local power level and the power level of

the reference LEOPARD-5, "Alien" fuels, which are fuel

regions that occur in quantities too small to dominate the

neutron spectrum in which they occur are burned in accordance

with the spectrum of the surrounding dominant fuel. The uo2

fuel follower rods within the dominant Pu02-uo2 fueled region

is an example of "alien" fuel.

During the quarter, the LEOPARD-5 calculations required in

the boron-burnup matrix were completed. The data were stored

on tape and a complete check out of the sequence was made.

The system is now ready for use in following the operating

history of the reactor throughout its lifetime.

12

2. Calculated Boron Requirements and Rod Worth

In preparation for the Saxton Core II experimental program,

zero-power, pre-startup, criticality calculations were carried

out using the LEOPARD-5/BUBBLE/PDQ-3* computer code sequence

previously described. To correct for the small differences

between the analysis and the critical experiments conducted at

the WREC, a reactivity correction was included. The correc­

tion was included by dividing the LEOPARD-5 vif's by 1.0058

for the uo2 f'uel and 1.0096 for the Pu02-uo2 fuel (Table 510.4,

Reference 4).*

For each major fuel region in the core, a series of LEOPARD-5

calculations was run for four different boron concentrations.

The BUBBLE code was then used to punch out PDQ-3* input con­

stants at the desired boron concentrations. Number densities

used in BUBBLE for alien f'uel areas such as followers and

sub-assemblies were combined in the code with microscopic

cross sections from the nearest major fuel area to produce

macroscopic constants. Water slot constants were determined

in BUBBLE from a LEOPARD-5 calculation matrix of water and

steel at various steel volume fractions and boron concentrations.

*The comparison of analysis with experiment for the Pu02-uo2 cores was carried out using a version of the code containing no built-in reactivity bias. The production version of the code contains a bias of 1.003. Consequently, the bias included should have been 1.0126 for Pu02-uo2. Therefore, to correct for the bias error, .003 was subtracted from the calculated keff.

13

The 87 x 87 PDQ-3 matrix used in these calculations was

basically the same as that used in the determination of flux

wire factors for Saxton Core I and for the Core II design

calculations. The mesh was changed slightly to form a more

convenient pattern in each fuel assembly. Separate hot and

cold mesh spacings were adopted. The axial buckling was

varied with boron concentration.

The results of the zero-power calculations are summarized in

Table 5.10.1 and.Table 510.2. From these calculations the

following boron requirements were expected. Measured values

are included for comparison.

Cold, zero-power

Hot, zero-power

Calculated

2895

2460

Measured

2718

2290

The comparison of measured and calculated boron concentration

requirements show the analysis overpredicts the required values

by about 170 ppm. This discrepancy in boron concentration is

larger than that which could reasonably be expected in view

of the previous good agreement between the analysis and the

WREC experiments. Consequently, a calculation was made using

the LEOPARD-5/BUBBLE/PDQ-3* sequence for the hot, zero-power,

just-critical condition for Saxton Core I (1804 ppm boron).

Using this sequence the calculated reactivity was 1.2% 6k/k

14

TABLE 510.1

Summary of Saxton Core II Zero Power Reactivity Calculations

1 Cold, Zero Power

2 Calculated keff control Rods PFM Boron

Inserted

0 2300 1.0392

0 2950 0.9966

2,5 2950 0.9267

2,5 1800 1.0042

1,3,4,6 1800 1.0182

1,2,3,4,5,6 1800 0.9238

1,2,3,4,5,6 2300 0.8917

Hot1 Zero Power

Control Rods PPM Boron Calculated keff Inserted

0 2300 1.0081

0 2650 0.9906

0 1225 1.0701

2,5 2650 0.9144

2,5 1225 0.9904

2,5 1800 0.9597

1,2,3,4,5,6 1225 0.8968

1. 100 F, 350 psi

2. o.oo6 was subtracted from the calculated value for the reactivity bias and inconel grids

3, 533 F, 2000 psi

15

2

1.

2.

TABLE 510.2

Calculated Boron and Control Rod Worth

for Saxton Core II

1 Cold, Zero Power

Initial Insert Remove Initial Rods Rods Rods Boron,

ppm

0 2300

0 2,5 2950 0 All 2300

All 2&5 1800 All 1,3,4,6 1800 All 1800

HotJ Zero Power

Initial Insert Remove Rods Rods Rods

0

0

0 2,5 0 2,5 0 All

100 F, 350 psi ~

reactivity change= 1, 1n k

Initial Boron,

ppm

1225

2300

2650

1225

1225

Final Boron,

ppm

2950

2950

2300

1800

1800

2300

Final Boron,

ppm

2300

2650

2650

1225

1225

3, 533 F, 2000 psi 2

16

Reactivity 2

Change, '1; ~/K

4.13

(157,3 ppm/1% 4:>)

7.25

15.33

9,64

8.33

3.45

(145 ppm/1% f¥))

Reactivity 2

Change, '.£ bK./K)

5.86

(183,5 ppm/1,;, 6)

1.81

(193,4 ppm/1,;, 6)

7.90

7,58

17.56

higher than that indicated by the experiment. Previously, the

calculated keff for these conditions was in excellent agreement

with the experiment using the analysis sequence that was used

throughout the nuclear design of Saxton Core II, LEOPARD-II/

PDQ-3. A calculated keff of 0.9997 was found for the just­

critical experimental condition.

The reason has not been determined for an increased reactivity

discrepancy in the analysis of Saxton Core I for the new

sequence as compared to the old. However, it should be

pointed out that in both of the PDQ-3 calculations (X-Y

geometry) the longitudinal grid structure is neglected.

Consequently, in the Core I calculation that agrees well with

the experiment, any discrepancy in the basic method of analysis

was apparently compensated for by neglecting the longitudinal

grid structure. When the new sequence was adopted, the

reactivity base point for Saxton Core I was changed, thereby

introducing a reactivity error in the subsequent calculations.

Using the new sequence, if the reactivity error for the

Saxton Core I calculation is subtracted from the Saxton Core

II calculations made in preparation for the zero-power tests,

the calculated boron concentration requirements would compare

favorably with the experimental requirement, for example:

17

Core Condition

Cold (140°F), zero-power, no rods

H~t (530°F, 2000 psia), zero-power, no rods

Corrected Calculated Boron, ppm

2700

2230

Measured Boron, ppm

2718

2290

Additional work will be carried out in the next quarter to

determine the reasons for the reactivity discrepancy that was

found.

3. Kinetics

During the WREC critical experiments program, a number of

multi-region experiments were carried out in which Pu02-uo2

fuel and uo2 fuels were installed in separate regions. The

performance of these experiments and the subsequent comparison

with analysis illustrated the importance of a kinetics evalua­

tion of each configuration in order to interpret reactivity

results. In preparation for the zero-power tests, the kinetic

characteristics were investigated for the following configu-

rations:

(1) Cold - zero-power, no rods, 2950 ppm boron

(2) Hot - zero-power, no rods, 2650 ppm boron

(3) Hot - zero-power, rods 2 and 5 in, 1225 ppm boron

(4) Cold - zero-power, rods 2 and 5 in~ 1800 ppm boron

18

The method that was used is the same as that used in the

critical experiments program. In brief, the following

procedure was followed:

(1) Group constants for each fuel region were determined

using a prompt and delayed spectrum in LEOPARD-5.

(2) A cylindrical AIM-5.L.2. calculation was carried out using

the prompt group constants. A buckling search was used

to adjust the transverse buckling until a calculated

keff of 1.0 was obtained. (The boron concentration

which reduced keff to approximately 1.0 was selected on

the basis of PDQ-3 results reported in Table 510.1.

Consequently, only small variations in buckling were

required.)

(3) A second AIM-5 calculation was made using the transverse

buckling determined in (2). In this calculation both

prompt and delayed constants were used with the neutron

source fraction in the delayed group equal to S for the

particular fuel region. No transfers occur from prompt

to delayed groups; instead, both groups transfer directly

to the thermal group. The resulting calculated keff =

l + seff"

(4) A core average S was determined from the AIM-5 source

distribution by weighting the source fraction for each

19

fissionable isotope by the S for that isotope and

integrating over the core.

(5) An importance factor was determined from Seff =I$.

These quantities were then used in the Inhour code to

determine the reactivity - period relationship.

T~ simulate control rods, the absorption cross section in

the rod region was increased until the reactivity change was

equivalent to rod worth calculations in PDQ-3,

The results using this procedure for the four configurations

of interest are summarized in Table 510.3.

20

TABLE 510.3

Kinetic Characteristics for Saxton Core II

for Four Different Core Conditions

Core Condition,

Cold, 68°F, 14.7 psi, 2950 ppm, unrodded core

Cold, 100°F, 350 psi, ·1800 ppm, rods in 2 and 5

Hot, 533°F, zero power, 2000 psi, 2650 ppm, unrodded core

Hot, 533°F, zero power, 1225 ppm, 2000 psi, rods 2 and 5 in

_L

0.004131

0.004499

0.004544

0.004784

21

I

0.88665

0.91687

0.90094

0.93477

0.003662

0.004125

0.004094

0.004472

REFERENCES

l. R. F. Barry, '~LEOPARD - A Spectrum Dependent Non-Spatial Depletion Code

for the IBM-7094," WCAP-3741 (1963).

2. G. F. Eletti, "BUBBLE - A Linking Code to Automate LEOPARD-PDQ System,"

WCAP-2877 (1965).

3. W. R. Cadwell, et. al., "PDQ-3, A Program for the Solution of the Neutron

Diffusion Equation in Two-Dimensions on the IBM-7094," WAPD-TM-179 (1960).

4. N. R. Nelson, "Saxton Plutonium Program Quarterly Progress Report for the

Period Ending September 30, 1965," WCAP-3385-5 (1965).

5. H.P. Flatt and D. C. Haller, "AIM-5 - A Multi-Group, One-Dimensional

Diffusion Equation Code," NAA-SR-4694 (1960).

22

Remaining Subtasks

A. A. Bishop, et. al.

SAX-520 Thermal-Hydraulic Analyses of Operations

A. A. Bishop

This work, which will consist of a minimum effort thermal and hydraulic

follow program during startup and operation is primarily for the

purpose of providing flow and heat transfer consultation.

SAX-610 Post Irradiation Storage & Shipments - H. E. Walchli

SAX-620 Post Irradiation Examination - Transfer Building - D. T. Galm

SAX-630 Post Irradiation Examination - Hot Cells - D. T. Galm

SAX-640 Post Irradiation Radiochemical Examination - D. T. Galm

SAX-650 Waste Disposal - D. T. Galm

SAX-660 Materials Evaluation - R. J. Allio

SAX-670 Fuel Reprocessing - H. E. Walchli

The major technical work in the SAX-600 post irradiation series of shop orders

will commence in early 1968. A small amount of work tentatively is planned to

examine some 3 x 3 subassembly removable rods in 1967 and to update planning

for the major post irradiation program.

23

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